How to Enable Dark Mode on Facebook

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Dark Mode has rapidly risen in popularity, transforming how we interact with our favorite apps. Featuring a darker color palette, the user interface enhances the overall visual experience and offers numerous practical benefits, such as reducing eye strain and improving battery life. Dark Mode is available for the most popular social media apps, including Facebook. This tutorial shows you how to enable Dark Mode on Facebook for mobile and desktop, as well as in the Messenger app.

Good to know: thinking of saying goodbye to your Facebook account? You may want to download all your Facebook photos to your device first.

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How to Enable Dark Mode on Facebook for Desktop

Facebook’s Dark Mode is available across all desktop browsers. Users of Firefox, Edge, Chrome, Brave, Safari, etc., can follow the same steps to enable and disable this feature.

  1. Open your browser of choice on either macOS or PC.
  2. Navigate to Facebook and click your profile picture in the upper-right corner.

  1. Select “Display & Accessibility.”
  2. Turn on “Dark Mode” from there.

  1. Alternatively, you can opt for the “Automatic” option, which adjusts the display based on your device’s system settings. (If you’re using a Windows PC, read more about turning dark mode on.)
  1. The new mode should go into effect immediately, turning your Facebook interface dark.

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How to Enable Dark Mode on Your Android or iOS Device

Just as Facebook has rolled out Dark Mode across all desktop browsers, the same is true for both its Android and iOS apps. The steps are the same for both platforms, making it just as easy to enable and disable the feature on your smartphone as on your desktop browser.

  1. Open the Facebook app on your device.
  2. Tap on your profile picture in the upper-right corner if you’re on Android and bottom-right corner if on iOS.

  1. Scroll down and tap on the “Settings & privacy” menu.

  1. Look toward the bottom of the list of options that appear and press “Dark mode.”

  1. Turn on Dark Mode from there or select the “Use system settings” option. If your Android device runs Android 9 or below, you may not have the option to match the system-wide appearance.

  1. iOS users can turn Dark Mode off and on or match their system appearance.

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How to Enable Dark Mode in Facebook Lite

Android users have Facebook Lite, the lightweight app version developed for Android devices with lower specifications. Follow the steps below to turn its Dark Mode on.

Note: the Facebook Lite app is not available in certain regions.

  1. Open Facebook Lite on your device.
  2. Tap on the hamburger menu in the upper-right corner.

  1. Scroll down and toggle on Dark Mode.

  1. The new mode should take effect immediately.

FYI: increase your privacy on Facebook by hiding your Friends list through the steps in this guide.

How to Enable Dark Mode in Messenger for Desktop

If you’re using the Messenger client for desktop on your Windows PC, you have more options regarding which shade of Dark Mode you want to be activated. Follow the steps below:

  1. Open Messenger on your PC.
  1. Click on your profile picture in the lower-left corner.

  1. Select “Preferences.”

  1. Click on “Appearance” in the new window.

  1. By default, the theme is set to “Mirror system preferences.” Click on it to select another option.
  2. You can choose “Dark,” but there are a few more options to try.

  1. You can also try “Gray” or “High Contrast (Dark)” and see which one you like the best.

Tip: need to quickly delete multiple messages from Facebook Messenger? These are your options.

How to Enable Dark Mode in Messenger App

On mobile devices, Facebook works hand in hand with the Messenger app. If you want to enjoy a darker experience while chatting, you will have to enable the feature in this app as well by following these steps:

  1. Open Messenger on your mobile device. The steps are identical in the Android or iOS app.
  2. Tap on the hamburger menu in the upper-left corner.

  1. Tap on the gear-shaped icon in the side menu that appears.

  1. Press “Dark mode” in the “Profile” section on Android. On iOS, the option is at the top, below your name and profile picture.

  1. Turn on Dark Mode or choose the “System” option instead.

  1. The changes should be immediately visible.

Tip: create a poll on Facebook to learn people’s opinions on topics of interest.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Dark Mode really impact battery life?

The answer to this is yes – but likely not as much as you think, and it needs to be more than just Facebook that you use for Dark Mode. Ultimately, if you use Dark Mode across everything on your device, Facebook included, you may see a 10% increase in overall battery life. Of course, that depends on various factors, including overall screen brightness and the other functions you perform on your phone or laptop.

Do I need to use Dark Mode?

This is a question that’s entirely up to you as the user. Dark Mode is thought to be a little easier on the eyes, especially at night. For many people, reading a bright screen, especially later in the evening, could break their circadian rhythm. Dark Mode won’t go as far as helping you fall asleep faster, but it does reduce some of the eye strain that occurs.

Is it possible to enable Dark Mode only after a certain hour?

You can schedule Dark Mode (system-wide) to take effect on your device after a particular hour (for example, at sunset). If you’re an Android user, we have a tutorial that shows how to schedule Dark Mode to take effect at sundown. If you’re using a Windows PC, try AutoDarkMode, an open-source program that allows you to schedule dark mode at custom hours. If you want to make sure your Facebook app switches to dark mode as well, opt for the “System” option under “Dark mode” so that the app can mirror the system preferences.

Image credit: Freepik. All screenshots by Alexandra Arici.

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Alexandra Arici –
Staff Writer

Alexandra is passionate about mobile tech and can be often found fiddling with a smartphone from some obscure company. She kick-started her career in tech journalism in 2013, after working a few years as a middle-school teacher. Constantly driven by curiosity, Alexandra likes to know how things work and to share that knowledge with everyone.

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